Have you ever thought about the best way to market your brand? And have you ever heard of word-of-mouth marketing strategy? Word-of-mouth marketing or WOMM is a promotional strategy done either orally or in written form, online or offline, performed without charge. According to Entrepreneur Media, WOMM is the most credible and powerful strategy in advertising.

Initially, this method began from a stimulation perceived by a consumer. This stimulation created social, emotional, and functional drive. The consumers who feel satisfied with the services or products of a brand will normally tell their friends. Sometimes it is based on the need for recognition by the environment. Giving either positive or negative review is also one of personal emotional drives. And functionally, a consumer’s recommendation is complementary to convey the information chain.

Ever since there were internet and social media, such as Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, and Digg, the power of WOMM is greatly increased. The examples of booming social media at the moment are Path, Twitter and Instagram. The users can give recommendations only by updating the status on their profile, and it becomes interesting information for their friends or relatives.

There are four things you need to consider to implement WOMM. First, you must have target influencers. You need to ensure that your brand is acknowledged by the right influencers. These people could have been journalists, public figures, or even trendsetters. Second, you have to build strong relationship with the consumers. How to do it? The easiest way to communicate with consumers is using social platforms. Social media explosion that has occurred in recent years is also one platform that greatly influences the world of advertising.

However, do not rely on influencers only. You must also be the right person to practice WOMM. Find out the advantages and uniqueness of your business, and share them to the crowd. And the last one is to always act honestly. The success of word-of-mouth marketing depends on the consumers’ trust and satisfaction for a brand, and you have to gain it with honesty.

One of the brands that survives without ads is Ben & Jerry’s. Starting with two friends who attended a workshop on the topic “How to make ice cream”, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield made ice cream and ultimately thrive. Their ice cream shops have spread almost all over America since the 1980s. How did they do that? They created unique tastes, like Cherry Garcia and Chubby Hubby.

Although word-of-mouth marketing is the most effective way, it does not mean that big brands do not create ads, as there is no harm in creating ads for your brand. Since in the end, the product’s value shows the reflection of your product.